Mother Gets Felony Conviction for Spanking Child

[PapaG]

Don't spank your kids!

http://www.volunteertv.com/national/headlines/Mom_pleads_guilty_to_spanking_own_child_124072014.html

Rosalina Gonzales had pleaded guilty to a felony charge of injury to a child for what prosecutors had described as a "pretty simple, straightforward spanking case." They noted she didn't use a belt or leave any bruises, just some red marks.

A judge in Corpus Christi, Texas had some harsh words for a mother charged with spanking her own child before sentencing her to probation.

"You don't spank children today," said Judge Jose Longoria. "In the old days, maybe we got spanked, but there was a different quarrel. You don't spank children."

Rosalina Gonzales had pleaded guilty to a felony charge of injury to a child for what prosecutors had described as a "pretty simple, straightforward spanking case." They noted she didn't use a belt or leave any bruises, just some red marks.

As part of the plea deal, Gonzales will serve five years probation, during which time she'll have to take parenting classes, follow CPS guidelines, and make a $50 payment to the Children's Advocacy Center.

She was arrested back in December after the child's paternal grandmother noticed red marks on the child's rear end. The grandmother took the girl, who was two years-old at the time, to the hospital to be checked out.

Gonzales who doesn't have custody of the child or her other two children, is trying to get them back, but until CPS feels she is ready the kids are living with their paternal grandmother.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

I'm guessing there's more to this than meets the eye. Common sense tells me so.

 

[PapaG]

Coporal punishment is still used and is legal in Texas schools.

Apparently in the state of Texas, government employees can spank your child, but you can't.

FWIW, I've never spanked my kids, but I'm not against it as long as it doesn't injure or bruise the child, and if it is only used in rare instances. Sending our girls to their rooms seems to have worked well for us, but not all kids are like that.

 

[BrianFromWA]

another judge that needs to be off the bench.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

He is a democrat in an elected position.

 

[PapaG]

Actually, now that I think about it, my wife did spank our youngest when she was 4. Our kid had grabbed a marker and written on a wall. My wife caught her, told her not to do it again, and took the marker. The next day, our youngest was scribbling on the wall again, this time with a pencil. A quick spanking, some crying, and two years later, a certain little somebody has yet to write on the wall.

What is funny is that I told my wife later that she had told our youngest not to write on the wall while taking away a marker, and that she had used a pencil the second time. She just laughed and said 'typical'.

Perhaps my penchant for framing semantic arguments isn't just a board thing.

 

[blazerboy30]

Perhaps my penchant for framing semantic arguments isn't just a board thing.

What does your youngest think of Andre Miller and his performance against the Suns?

 

[jlprk]

In Mexico they're saying, "Those loco Americans!" In China, they're laughing as usual at how easy it is to overtake the corrupt U.S. The whole world's thinking, "THIS is the crappy system they kill a million people to force on us?"

 

[maxiep]

When I was a kid, sometimes the only thing that would really correct my behavior was an ass beating with one of those thick 70s belts.

This judge needs to retire.

 

[Natebishop3]

Sounds like the paternal grandmother is a real battle axe.

 

[PapaG]

What does your youngest think of Andre Miller and his performance against the Suns?

She thinks you're a douchebag. Not my thoughts, though.

If you want to address me, do it like a man, and not through my kid.

 

[jlprk]

A 2-year-old is too young to get red marks. But the legal system is an ass to spend tens of thousands of dollars investigating and lawyering, stealing her kids and paying for their support, and most despicable of all--turning her into a felon who can never get a job without lying that she's not a felon, forcing her into only short-term unemployment the rest of her life till her employer finds out, while she hides out in fear the rest of her days, never producing what she could have in the work world.

Every time you advocate that someone be convicted, think of the costs, financial and human. Think of how you're taking one more taxpayer out of the system. Think of how all that was necessary was have the police talk to her and like most first offenders, she would have been shocked into compliance. No need to take it any further for first offenders.

That's how it used to be, but nowadays the legal system has unlimited money to burn, so they destroy everyone they can. Every crime is now a felony. Every first offender must become a felon. When you hear of China or North Korean prisons, just remember that the U.S has a far higher incarceration rate.

This is what I mean when I criticize you "law and order" types. This is what "sentence reform" means. Much of this stuff should never get beyond the police talking to the person once.

 

[BrianFromWA]

Whoa....

There is a big difference b/w the judge convicting this woman as a felon and taking custody of her children for spanking, and a system that gives a repeated child rapist 60 days in prison, or allows a man to get to his 9th DUI conviction, or a "career criminal" being let out of jail so that he'd be free to kill his wife who wanted to leave him, or repeat-offending mentally ill people let free to rape more women...

I'm relatively certain that the incarceration quality of life in US prisons is much higher than those in Chinese or North Korean ones. Maybe if they weren't, you wouldn't see so many people in them? And maybe if we actually used the death penalty, instead of giving "concurrent life sentences"? I mean, I'd rather pay for someone's grandma to not have to eat cat food than to pay for a rapist to live in a warm cell with 3 meals a day and workout time.

 

[MARIS61]

another judge that needs to be off the bench.

So you support child abuse?

Beating a 2 year old is the act of a sadistic moron.

There were marks still visible later, after the abuse was discovered and she was taken to the hospital.

 

[jlprk]

repeated child rapist ...9th DUI conv..."career criminal" free to kill his wife...repeat-offending mentally ill people let free to rape more women

Think of crimes as a pyramid. The top 1% are what make the papers. In the bottom quarter or so are large numbers of first offenders as I said, who only need a scare of police talking to them. Sometime you should sit in a courtroom where, long before the trial stage is reached, hearings are conducted (about half a minute each) for a hundred accused. You will see a college student wearing glasses, staring at the judge in curiosity as to why he has to go through this for selling drugs to his dorm friends. You will see a young farm buck with his father there to help him, because he had a scrape with someone. You'll see a lot of sad people.

Your examples are top of the pyramid, 1% of the top 1% stuff. Instead of relying on the media for your knowledge, try sitting in that room and watching. Not the trial itself, because only the top 10% go that far. I'm talking long before that, when the defendant is bravely fighting a 2-year sentence and not accepting the 30 day offer from the prosecutor because the prosecutor knows the defendant is harmless. When the hearing is done, they all walk free outside to their cars, wondering why, when the system knows they're not dangerous, their lives must be destroyed. Many, many people go through multiple hearings for long periods, not kept in jail because the system knows they're harmless. It's just another reason why this country will die in a generation from its government deficits. If you think government employees are expensive, that's nothing, think of the multiple lawyers there.

 

[BrianFromWA]

So you support child abuse?

Beating a 2 year old is the act of a sadistic moron.

There were marks still visible later, after the abuse was discovered and she was taken to the hospital.

Of course I support Child Abuse. I think they should be made to drink radiation-infested milk, as well.

When even the prosecutor says that this is a "straightforward case of spanking", and not one of "child abuse", not one of "torture", not one of "assault", not one of "intent to injure"...then yes, I think a judge unilaterally passing his unlawful views into punishing the populace is overstepping his bounds and needs to step down. I look forward to your retort.

 

[blazerboy30]

She thinks you're a douchebag. Not my thoughts, though.

Your youngest knows what a douchebag is and calls people that? Clearly you should spend less time arguing on the internet and more time working on your terrible parenting.

If you want to address me, do it like a man, and not through my kid.

Is that Nerf gun in the avatar loaded? You must feel incredibly threatened.

 

[3RA1N1AC]

 

[3RA1N1AC]

she pleaded guilty? what an idiot, a jury would have surely acquitted her

 

[bluefrog]

I'm guessing there's more to this than meets the eye. Common sense tells me so.

I agree. It just doesn't add up. Especially this:

Rosalina Gonzales had pleaded guilty to a felony charge of injury to a child for what prosecutors had described as a "pretty simple, straightforward spanking case."

And this happened in Texas??!?!?!?!

 

[maxiep]

If I had to guess, this woman was probably facing a much more serious sentence if she would have fought it, so she was bullied into pleading it out. It seems to me that Rick Perry could bolster his presidential ambitions by simply issuing a pardon.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

I believe spanking and hitting your child is abuse. Its physical abuse....just because its your kid doesn't give you the right to strike them. Its ridiculous the justifications parents have for beating their kids like they do.

 

[PapaG]

I believe spanking and hitting your child is abuse. Its physical abuse....just because its your kid doesn't give you the right to strike them. Its ridiculous the justifications parents have for beating their kids like they do.

That's a side issue here, though. Corporal punishment is legal in Texas, so long as it is in a school.

So ... a teacher can spank your child, buy you can't do the same. Messed up...

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

If I had a child and a teacher hit the child, I would set that teacher on fucking fire. fuck the laws.

 

[Mediocre Man]

This is a pretty hot topic here in Houston. Democrat Judge.....OF COURSE, clearly has an agenda. Texas law states it is not illegal to spank your own child, and as others have pointed out, teachers have the authority, if granted by parents, to spank children in school. I have absolutely no idea why she plead guilty, but I would assume that this will be overturned in a big way, and that judge will be forced to step down.

 

[Mediocre Man]

If I had a child and a teacher hit the child, I would set that teacher on fucking fire. fuck the laws.

You have to sign something each year authorizing the school to ba allowed to spank. If not, they can't touch the child.